care for baby betta fish: what's next?

[Riveraide]

I'm really stressing out about my female fish - she just laid way more eggs than I anticipated. The babies are growing fast, but I'm running out of space. I've tried posting on Craigslist to give some away, but so far, no takers. I'm getting desperate - what am I supposed to do with all these extra little guys? They're gonna outgrow my tank and my other tanks soon, and I don't know what to do.

[coltin]

You could try separating the males from the females and housing them in 2-litre ice cream buckets. For the females, consider using a large 100-litre plastic storage crate to grow them out until they're similar in size to the ones you'd find at a pet store. Then, get in touch with your local pet shop and see if they're interested in buying any of your Bettas. Let them know how many you have available - be it 50 or whatever - and ask if they'd like to make a purchase. In my experience, most pet stores will buy fish from you, either for cash or store credit. The prices will vary, but typically you can expect around a third of the retail price for cash and about half for credit.

If one shop is interested in taking a few - say, 5 red and 5 blue - then take those to them and get some cash or store credit in return. You could use that credit to pick up some plants, fish food, or even a new tank. From there, just ring around to some other shops and see if they're interested in taking any. Some places will take larger quantities, but they might offer you a lower price per fish because of the bulk purchase.

Just remember to only sell or trade fish that are of good quality - they should have two good eyes, full gill covers, nice fins, and no missing parts. If any of your fish are deformed, it's best to cull them to prevent passing on those defects to future generations.

[Riveraide]

You could try separating the males from the females and housing them in 2-litre ice cream buckets. For the females, consider using a large 100-litre plastic storage crate to grow them out until they're similar in size to the ones you'd find at a pet store. Then, get in touch with your local pet shop and see if they're interested in buying any of your Bettas. Let them know how many you have available - be it 50 or whatever - and ask if they'd like to make a purchase. In my experience, most pet stores will buy fish from you, either for cash or store credit. The prices will vary, but typically you can expect around a third of the retail price for cash and about half for credit.

If one shop is interested in taking a few - say, 5 red and 5 blue - then take those to them and get some cash or store credit in return. You could use that credit to pick up some plants, fish food, or even a new tank. From there, just ring around to some other shops and see if they're interested in taking any. Some places will take larger quantities, but they might offer you a lower price per fish because of the bulk purchase.

Just remember to only sell or trade fish that are of good quality - they should have two good eyes, full gill covers, nice fins, and no missing parts. If any of your fish are deformed, it's best to cull them to prevent passing on those defects to future generations.

I was worried about that too, what if the pet stores near me don't want any of my fin_tank?

I guess I could try selling them online, but I've already had no luck with craigslist. Maybe I could try some other online marketplaces or forums specifically for aquarium enthusiasts. Or, I could try reaching out to local aquarium clubs or breeders to see if they know of anyone interested in buying some fin_tank.

Do you have any other suggestions, just in case the pet stores aren't interested?

[goldminer]

I actually have a female Betta that had eggs squeezed out of her by the male during the mating process, since that's how it works with Bettas.

[coltin]

I'm really stressing out about my female fish - she just laid way more eggs than I anticipated. The babies are growing fast, but I'm running out of space. I've tried posting on Craigslist to give some away, but so far, no takers. I'm getting desperate - what am I supposed to do with all these extra little guys? They're gonna outgrow my tank and my other tanks soon, and I don't know what to do.

If your local petshops don't buy fish I'd be shocked. But if you're having trouble finding takers, consider reaching out to your local aquarium society. They often have events and raffles where you can donate fish, plants, or other aquarium-related items, and they'll find a good home for them.

Alternatively, you could try listing your fish on Ebay, but be sure to specify local pickup only. This way, you won't have to worry about shipping costs, which can be a real hassle. Just make sure you're upfront about the pickup arrangement, so buyers know what to expect.

That being said, I'm confident you'll be able to find a petshop in your area that's interested in buying your surplus fish. They're always on the lookout for healthy, well-cared-for fish to stock their tanks.

[earthie_9]

Male and female bettas - given the context, I'll assume betta splendens - should be separated immediately. Housing them together can be disastrous, especially during spawning. Males tend to be quite aggressive and may harm or even kill the females. I strongly advise moving the male to a separate tank.

Regarding the fry, allowing nature to take its course might not be a bad approach. You could leave them in the tank and see what happens. If other fish eat them, that's just the natural order of things. However, if some manage to survive and you're interested in rehoming or selling them, you can explore those options.

[pawsome]

If all else fails, consider offering them to fellow fish enthusiasts on forums like this one. You might be surprised at the interest you get from people who'd love to give a home to your surplus bettas.

[Riveraide]

If your local petshops don't buy fish, that'd be a real shock to me. But, if you're having trouble finding a buyer, you could try taking some to your local aquarium society. They usually have a raffle or something where you can donate fish, plants, etc. and people can win them.

If that's not your thing, you could try Ebay, just make sure to say local pick up only. That way, people come to you and you don't have to worry about shipping. Shipping's probably gonna cost more than the fish anyway. I'm pretty sure you'll be able to find a petshop that'll buy them off you though.

[Riveraide]

Male and female bettas - given the context, I'll assume betta splendens - should be separated immediately. Housing them together can be disastrous, especially during spawning. Males tend to be quite aggressive and may harm or even kill the females. I strongly advise moving the male to a separate tank.

Regarding the fry, allowing nature to take its course might not be a bad approach. You could leave them in the tank and see what happens. If other fish eat them, that's just the natural order of things. However, if some manage to survive and you're interested in rehoming or selling them, you can explore those options.

Thanks for the advice, but I've got my male and female bettas separated - they're only together for mating purposes. I actually took one of my females from a sorority tank and paired her with a male, and after the eggs were fertilized, I removed the male to keep them safe.

[Riveraide]

If all else fails, consider offering them to fellow fish enthusiasts on forums like this one. You might be surprised at the interest you get from people who'd love to give a home to your surplus bettas.

Thanks for the help.